Colchicine Treatment Research Articles

Investigation of The Antiproliferative Effect of Colchicine on SNU-1 Gastric Cancer Cells

In this study, colchicine's cytotoxic effects on SNU-1 cells were examined, and a probable mechanism behind its cytotoxicity was revealed. According to the results of the study, colchicine displayed considerable cytotoxicity with an IC50 value of 14.81ng/ml when it was administered to the cells for 24 hours at different doses ranging from 5 to 100ng/ml. Furthermore, according to mechanistic studies, usege of colchicine significantly increased both early and late apoptotic cells in flow cytometry experiments. The late apoptotic cell population percentage in the control group (5.14 ± 1.27%) dramatically increased to 22.83 ± 1.38% in 14.81ng/ml colchicine treated cells. The early apoptotic cell population percentage in the control group (2.00 ± 1.12%) increased to 6.57 ± 2.35% in 14.81ng/ml colchicine treated cells. ELISA method was used to evaluate how colchicine affects the expression of pro- and anti-apoptotic proteins in SNU-1 cells. Colchicine treatment increased pro-apoptotic Bax and cleaved caspase 3 activities, while anti-apoptotic BCL-2 levels decreased. It is concluded that colchicine increases apoptosis in SNU-1 cells, which leads to an overall increase in cell death. Colchicine's promise as an anticancer drug to treat stomach cancer, however, needs additional research to be determined.

465-P: Anti-inflammatory Therapies in Patients with Established Cardiovascular Disease or High Cardiovascular Risks

Background: To evaluate the association between anti-inflammatory therapies and the incidence of cardiovascular events in patients with established cardiovascular disease (CVD) or high cardiovascular risks. Methods: Literature retrieval was conducted in Pubmed, Medline, Embase, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials and Clinicaltrial.gov website from the inception to July 2022. Randomized controlled trials compared anti-inflammatory therapies with placebo in patients with established CVD or high cardiovascular risks were included. The results of the meta-analysis were computed as the odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI). Results: Compared with placebo, anti-inflammatory therapies were associated with decreased incidence of myocardial infarction (MI) (OR=0.93, 95%CI, 0.87 to 0.98), which was mainly driven by therapies targeting central IL-6 signaling pathway (OR=0.84, 95%CI, 0.76 to 0.94). IL-1 inhibitors treatment was associated with reduced risks of heart failure (OR=0.32, 95%CI, 0.14 to 0.76) while lower incidence of stroke was observed in patients with colchicine treatment (OR=0.46, 95%CI, 0.28 to 0.77). MI events were less frequent in patients over 65 years old (OR=0.90, 95%CI, 0.82 to 0.98) or with follow-up duration over 1 year (OR=0.90, 95%CI, 0.84 to 0.96)when comparing anti-inflammatory therapies with placebo. Conclusion: Anti-inflammatory therapies, especially those targeting central IL-6 signaling pathway may serve as promising treating strategies to ameliorate the risk of MI. Meanwhile, IL-1 inhibitor and colchicine were associated with decreased risks of heart failure and stroke respectively. MI risk reductions by anti-inflammatory therapies seem to be more prominent in patients who were elderly and with long follow-up duration. Disclosure C.Lin: None. Z.Li: None. X.Cai: None. L.Ji: Other Relationship; Eli Lilly and Company, Novo Nordisk, Merck & Co., Inc., Bayer Inc., Sanofi-Aventis U.S., Roche Pharmaceuticals, MSD Life Science Foundation, AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim Inc., Abbott, Metronics. Funding National Natural Science Foundation of China (81970698, 81970708); Beijing Natural Science Foundation (7202216)

Causal associations between type 1 diabetes and COVID-19 infection and prognosis: a two-sample Mendelian randomization study

IntroductionIt has been suggested that type 1 diabetes was associated with increased COVID-19 morbidity and mortality. However, their causal relationship is still unclear. Herein, we performed a two-sample Mendelian randomization...

Polyploid Induction and Identification of Rosa roxburghii f. eseiosa.

Rosa roxburghii f. eseiosa Ku is a variety of Rosa roxburghii, with two known genotypes: Wuci 1 and Wuci 2. The lack of prickle on the peel of R. roxburghii f. eseiosa makes it easy to pick and process, but its fruit size is small. Therefore, we aim to induce polyploidy in order to obtain a larger fruit variety of R. roxburghii f. eseiosa. In this study, current-year stems of Wuci 1 and Wuci 2 were used as materials for polyploid induction, which was carried out through colchicine treatment coupled with tissue culture and rapid propagation technology. Impregnation and smearing methods were effectively used to produce polyploids. Using flow cytometry and a chromosome counting method, it was found that one autotetraploid of Wuci 1 (2n = 4x = 28) was obtained by the impregnation method before primary culture, with a variation rate of 1.11%. Meanwhile, seven Wuci 2 bud mutation tetraploids (2n = 4x = 28) were produced by smearing methods during the training seedling stage. When tissue-culture seedlings were treated with 20 mg/L colchicine for 15 days, the highest polyploidy rate was up to 60%. Morphological differences between different ploidys were observed. The side leaflet shape index, guard cell length, and stomatal length of the Wuci 1 tetraploid were significantly different from those of the Wuci 1 diploid. The terminal leaflet width, terminal leaflet shape index, side leaflet length, side leaflet width, guard cell length, guard cell width, stomatal length, and stomatal width of the Wuci 2 tetraploid were significantly different from those of the Wuci 2 diploid. Additionally, the leaf color of the Wuci 1 and Wuci 2 tetraploids changed from light to dark, with an initial decrease in chlorophyll content followed by an increase. In summary, this study established an effective method for inducing polyploids in R. roxburghii f. eseiosa, which could provide a foundation for the breeding and development of new genetic resources for R. roxburghii f. eseiosa and other R. roxburghii varieties in the future.

Induction of Polyploidy in Citrus Rootstocks through In Vitro Colchicine Treatment of Seed-Derived Explants

Polyploidy, frequently observed in citrus species, aids in achieving better adaptation to environmental stresses. In this context, the current work aims to develop stable tetraploids in citrus rootstock cultivars, viz., Rough lemon, Rangpur lime and Alemow, through in vitro colchicine treatments. Seed-derived explants were obtained by culturing sterile seeds on MS basal media. Seedlings with a size of 5–8 mm (hypocotyl) were exposed to colchicine treatment. After treatment, the surviving seedlings were minigrafted onto six-month-old rootstock for better growth. Colchicine concentrations of 0.1%, 0.2%, 0.3% and control for durations of 16 or 24 h were tested with respect to the induction of polyploidisation. Treatment with 0.1% colchicine for 24 h resulted in high rates of mutation for polyploidisation and showed the highest tetraploid induction percentage (18.3%) in all the rootstock cultivars. High colchicine concentration and long exposure time decreased the survival of the observed seedlings. Flow cytometry and cytological methods were used for confirmation of autotetraploidy in the analysed samples. The surviving seedlings were identified on the basis of morphological and cytological variables, such as leaf area and stomata size, which significantly increased with increasing ploidy level. The proposed method was found to be an effective way to induce the polyploidy in Rangpur lime, Rough lemon and Alemow rootstocks.

Caspase cleaves Drosophila BubR1 to modulate spindle assembly checkpoint function and lifespan of the organism.

Caspases cleave over 1500 substrates in the human proteome in both lethal and non-lethal scenarios. However, reports of the physiological consequences of substrate cleavage are limited. Additionally, the manner in which caspase cleaves only a subset of substrates in the non-lethal scenario remains to be elucidated. BubR1, a spindle assembly checkpoint component, is a caspase substrate in humans, the physiological function of which remains unclear. Here, we found that caspases, especially Drice, cleave Drosophila BubR1 between the N-terminal KEN box motif and C-terminal kinase domain. By using proximity labelling, we found that Drice, but not Dcp-1, is in proximity to BubR1, suggesting that protein proximity facilitates substrate preference. The cleaved fragments displayed altered subcellular localization and protein-protein interactions. Flies that harboured cleavage-resistant BubR1 showed longer duration of BubR1 localization to the kinetochore upon colchicine treatment. Furthermore, these flies showed extended lifespan. Thus, we propose that the caspase-mediated cleavage of BubR1 limits spindle assembly checkpoint and organismal lifespan. Our results highlight the importance of the individual analysis of substrates in vivo to determine the biological significance of caspase-dependent non-lethal cellular processes.

Kolşisin Tedavisi Altinda FMF ve Gut Tanısı Alan Hastalarda B12 Vitamin Değerleri İle Böbrek Fonksiyon Testlerinin Karşılaştırılması

FMF (Familial Mediterranean Fever); It is a hereditary disease that manifests itself with recurrent periodically increasing fever and abdominal pain, lung and joint pain. It is defined as an autoinflammatory disease that continues with inflammatory attacks that the body repeats itself due to genetic reasons. 
 GOUT is a hereditary disease that occurs as a result of a disorder of purine metabolism. It is a form of inflammation that causes pain, swelling, redness, tenderness, and increased temperature in the joints. Purine is one of the nitrogenous compounds that break down into uric acid in the body. With the increase in the levels of uric acid in the blood, the uric acid crystallizes and accumulates in the joints, tendons, and surrounding tissues. 
 Colchicine is an alkaloid obtained from the seeds of the Colchicum Autumnale L plant, which is used in the treatment of rheumatic diseases such as FMF and GOUT. It is an antimitotic agent that binds to intracellular tubulin protein and inhibits the polymerization of new microtubules. It shows its effect through microtubules. Colchicine treatment in FMF patients prevents the development of amyloidosis and attacks. Thus, as well as preventing acute attacks, it also slows down the formation of amyloidosis, the most important side effect of the disease.
 In this review, the studies on the subject are examined. Vitamin B12 and renal function tests were compared in patients with FMF or GOUT who received colchicine therapy.

Viabilitas Benih Jagung Lokal (Zea mays L.) Kabupaten Timor Tengah Utara Yang Diberi Perlakuan Kolkisin

Background: Colchicine is a chemical mutagen that has been widely used to increase the viability of a plant. Most of the people of the North Central Timor (TTU) Regency still depend on local agricultural products, so one of the crops cultivated during the rainy season is local corn. This study aimed to determine the viability of local maize seeds in North Central Timor Regency and the appropriate concentration of colchicine to increase local maize germination. Methods: used in this research is an experimental method that gives colchicine treatment to 3 local corn varieties. The colchicine used was 0% (control), 40%, and 60%. The viability parameters observed were maximum growth potential (PTM), germination capacity (DB), and vigor index (IV). Results: showed that there were variations in the measurement of viability parameters observed both at maximum growth potential (PTM JBa 16,6%, JBu 35%, JKa 10%, JKu 8,33%), germination (DB 70%, JBu 81,66%, JKa 60%, JKu 61,66%) and vigor index (IV 68,33%, JBu 78,33%, JKa 63,33%, JKu 68,33%). Conclusions: the appropriate concentrations of colchicine to increase local corn germination were 40% and 60%, respectively. This can be seen in the viability parameters that show differences, namely the maximum growth potential (PTM) of flower corn with a colchicine concentration of 40%, which is 35%, the germination capacity (DB) of flower corn with a colchicine concentration of 60%, which is 90%, and the vigor index (IV) of flower corn. The concentration of colchicine 60% is 90%.

Treatment with Colchicine in an Undiagnosed 45-year-old Female Patient with Diffuse Abdominal and Flank Pain for more than 5 years

A 45-year-old female patient living abroad has severe abdominal and flank pain that persists for more than 5 years and recurs several times a month. She never had a fever when the pain developed. For more than 5 years, no pathology was detected in the patient's blood and urine tests, abdominal ultrasound and computed tomography. Analgesics and antispasmodics used for the patient's pain are not effective at all, and the patient is relieved with narcotic analgesics in every painful attack. Finally, the patient who came to our hospital with severe abdominal and flank pain was first relieved with narcotic analgesics due to her detailed history, then blood, urine tests and abdominal ultrasound were performed, but no pathology was detected. Considering the possibility of atypical FMF, colchicine treatment was considered for the patient. With the patient's approval, oral 0.6 mg of colchicine was started 3 times a day and the patient were followed up. At the controls 1 week, 1 month and 3 months later, it was observed that the patient did not have any painful attacks, and no colchicine-related side effects were observed. FMF not only progresses with painful attacks, but also amyloid A (AA) amyloidosis, which is a fatal complication, can affect the kidneys and cause kidney failure. Therefore, colchicine treatment should be tried before narcotic analgesics in all patients with abdominal and flank pain who have normal examination findings, laboratory tests and radiological imaging findings, and even negative FMF gene analysis.

Adherence to Colchicine During Pregnancy in Familial Mediterranean Fever Patients: Reasons for Cessation and Outcomes from a Single-Centre Experience

Abstract Objective To evaluate the adherence to colchicine treatment during pregnancy and lactation in our Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) patients and investigate the reasons for non-adherence and consequences. Methods Adult female FMF patients who were followed up in our rheumatology clinic and had a history of pregnancy after the diagnosis of FMF were consecutively enrolled to this cross-sectional study between November 2021 and June 2022. Only pregnancies occurring after the diagnosis of FMF were evaluated. Patients who did not stop using FMF treatment after pregnancy were considered to adhere to treatment. Results In 50 patients, a total of 88 pregnancies and 58 live births were observed after the diagnosis of FMF. 37 (74%) had at least one completed pregnancy, and 13 (26.0) were pregnant during the study. Among the 37 patients, 34 had at least one live birth. No significant differences were observed when rates of patients with a history of at least one live birth, abortus, Cesarean section (C/S), preterm labor, stillbirth, intrauterine anomaly, congenital malformation and fetal growth retardation were compared between colchicine users and non-users. 60% of the patients adhered to colchicine treatment during pregnancy and 73.4% did so while breastfeeding. The most common reason for colchicine cessation was concerns regarding potential harm to the fetus (70%), followed by the presumption that colchicine is contraindicated in pregnancy (15%) as well as absence of FMF attacks (10%). The most common source of the patients’ opinion was a physician (60%). Conclusions Both patients and attending physicians should be informed to be more adherent to colchicine to avoid adverse outcomes and FMF-related complications.

Exploring the pharmacological and adverse reaction mechanism of a drug by network pharmacology strategy: Using colchicine to treat Behcet syndrome as an example

Colchicine (COLC) is a natural alkaloid used to treat Behcet syndrome (BS), but its adverse reactions limit its clinical application in treating BS. However, the adverse reaction mechanism of COLC in the treatment of BS remains unclear. Herein, a network pharmacology-based strategy was designed to analyze the pharmacological and adverse reaction mechanism of COLC in treating BS. The biological functions of COLC and BS pathogenesis were analyzed through a series of network construction and analysis. The data above predicted the pharmacological and adverse reaction mechanism of COLC in BS treatment. The pharmacological mechanism of COLC against BS was predicted to control inflammatory responses. Interleukin-8, interleukin-18, integrin alpha-4, integrin beta-2, and tubulin targets are crucial in treating BS. The adverse reactions of COLC in BS treatment were predicted as neurotoxicity and hepatotoxicity. The mechanism of hepatotoxicity may be related to the decrease of cytochrome P450 family 3 subfamily A activity caused by various factors, such as poor hepatic function, the dosage of COLC, and combination with inhibitors. The mechanism of neurotoxicity may be related to the disruption of microtubules in the nervous system by COLC transport across the blood-brain barrier. This study provided basic evidence for the medication safety management of COLC used in treating BS. Moreover, this study demonstrated that it is feasible to analyze the adverse reaction mechanisms of drugs using a network pharmacology strategy, which facilitates systematic drug safety management and evaluation.

Risk of coronary artery disease in patients with gout on treatment with Colchicine: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Colchicine has anti-inflammatory properties, but its utility in improving cardiovascular outcomes has been disputed. Here, we study the impact of colchicine on cardiovascular outcomes in patients with gout with and without coronary artery disease (CAD). Medline, Web of Science and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were systematically searched to identify relevant studies. Primary outcomes included myocardial infarction (MI), percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), and coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Secondary outcomes included stroke and all-cause mortality. We included 4 observational studies comprising 10,026 patients with gout on treatment with colchicine. There was no significant difference in the risk of myocardial infarction (risk ratio [RR] 0.71; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.36-1.39), need for PCI, or need for CABG, between patients on colchicine and those not receiving colchicine. Colchicine was associated with a significantly lower risk of all-cause mortality (RR 0.58; 95% CI 0.43-0.79). Non-randomized studies suggest that risk of MI, stroke and revascularization is not higher in gout patients treated with colchicine compared to gout patients without colchicine treatment.

Effect of colchicine mutagen on phenotype and genotype of Vigna unguiculata var. sesquipedalis the 7th generation

Abstract. Fathurrahman F, Mardaleni, Krisianto A. 2023. Title Effect of colchicine mutagen on phenotype and genotype of Vigna unguiculata var. Sesquipedalis the 7th generation. Biodiversitas 24: 1408-1416. The problem with long bean species is the low diversity of varieties, so obtaining them using chromosomal mutations was necessary. One of the ingredients used was colchicine. The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of the mutagen colchicine against mutations that occur in Vigna unguiculata var. sesquipedalis the 7th generation (renek long bean). The design used was a factorial Completely Randomized Design consisting of two factors. The first factor was four colchicine concentration levels: including without colchicine (the control) and colchicine concentration (0.01%, 0.05%, and 0.09%). The second factor was the soaking of the V. unguiculata var. sesquipedalis seeds, namely without soaking of seeds and soaking seeds (6, 12, 18, and 24 hours). Further phenotype analysis was tested statistically using the DMRT test at p < 0.05, while genotypes were analyzed using karyotypes and statistical T-test at p < 0.05. The results showed that treatment with 0.09% of colchicine and soaking for 24 hours was the best combination. Phenotype analysis showed increased growth with colchicine treatment: plant height increased by 20.59%, pod weight increased by 0.88%, the number of pods increased by 47.93%, pod length increased by 22.50%, and 100 seed weight increased by 15.91%. While Genotype analysis obtained a total of 11 karyotype chromosomes and 2n = 22 chromosomes. Chromosome karyotypes obtained two types, namely metacentric and telocentric. The arm length (p+q) in the 0.09% colchicine treatment sample and 24-hour soaking time was 1.77 µm longer than the control sample, which was 1.53 µm. It turns out that colchicine can increase the growth and changes in the structure of chromosomes so that a mutated V. unguiculata var. sesquipedalis species is obtained.

Successful treatment of two cases of acute myocarditis with colchicine.

Colchicine is an FDA-approved medicine that has been used for many years to prevent and treat gout flares as well as familial mediterranean fever. It is also used off-label to treat pericarditis, calcium pyrophosphate illness, and Behçet's syndrome. There are additional studies on the use of colchicine, which is accepted as the standard treatment for pericarditis in adults, post-pericardiotomy syndrome, post-operative and post-ablation atrial fibrillation, coronary artery disorders, prior to percutaneous coronary procedures, and myocarditis. Colchicine appears to be a promising oral cardiovascular treatment targeting the inflammatory axis, owing to its low cost and moderate side-effect profile. Our aim is to emphasise that colchicine treatment, which has a strong and effective anti-inflammatory effect profile, should be kept in mind in addition to conventional treatment in childhood myocarditis.

Colchicine reduces the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome in COVID-19 patients.

To evaluate whether colchicine treatment was associated with the inhibition of NLRP3 inflammasome activation in patients with COVID-19. We present a post hoc analysis from a double-blinded placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial (RCT) on the effect of colchicine for the treatment of COVID-19. Serum levels of NOD-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome products-active caspase-1 (Casp1p20), IL-1β, and IL-18-were assessed at enrollment and after 48-72h of treatment in patients receiving standard-of-care (SOC) plus placebo vs. those receiving SOC plus colchicine. The colchicine regimen was 0.5mg tid for 5days, followed by 0.5mg bid for another 5days. Thirty-six patients received SOC plus colchicine, and thirty-six received SOC plus placebo. Colchicine reduced the need for supplemental oxygen and the length of hospitalization. On Days 2-3, colchicine lowered the serum levels of Casp1p20 and IL-18, but not IL-1β. Treatment with colchicine inhibited the activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome, an event triggering the 'cytokine storm' in COVID-19. RBR-8jyhxh.

In vivo polyploidy induction in Dendrobium crumenatum through colchicine treatment

Polyploidy induction plays a significant role in hybridizing and improving orchids (Orchidaceae). Induction of polyploidy can help to restore fertility by doubling of chromosomes and thus leading to the creation of allotetraploids which can help breeders develop improved hybrids and novel types by contributing beautiful floral or growth characteristics unobtainable from the diploid forms. The objective of the present study was to investigate the effective colchicine concentration and duration of exposure for the polyploidy induction in Dendrobium crumenatum via in vivo method, thus improving the flower characteristics. For the in vivo induction of polyploidy, D. crumenatum plantlets were chosen and subjected to eight different colchicine treatments. Treatments were based on colchicine concentration (0.05 and 0.1%) and the duration of exposure of plantlets to these doses of colchicine (24, 48, 72 and 96 hrs). The morphological characters, like shoot length, diameter of pseudobulb, number of leaves and width of leaves showed treatment mean values greater than their corresponding control plantlets. After analyzing the histogram peaks of in vivo treated samples, it was observed that the highest tetraploid induction (50%) was achieved with the treatment of 0.05% colchicine for 96 hours. Moreover, the maximum mixoploids (66.67%) were obtained from two different treatments; first, with 0.05% colchicine for 72 hours and second, with 0.05% colchicine for 48 hours. These results suggest that longer treatment duration of 96 hours with 0.05% colchicine leads to higher tetraploid induction while shorter durations of 72 and 48 hours with the same concentration of colchicine are more effective for producing mixoploids. Stomatal observations exhibited a lower stomatal density, but increased stomatal size in polyploids than diploids.

In-hospital adverse events and recurrence in hospitalized patients with acute pericarditis

BackgroundAcute pericarditis occasionally requires invasive treatment, and may recur after discharge. However, there are no studies on acute pericarditis in Japan, and its clinical characteristics and prognosis are unknown. MethodsThis was a single-center, retrospective cohort study of clinical characteristics, invasive procedures, mortality, and recurrence in patients with acute pericarditis hospitalized from 2010 to 2022. The primary in-hospital outcome was adverse events (AEs), a composite of all-cause mortality and cardiac tamponade. The primary outcome in the long-term analysis was hospitalization for recurrent pericarditis. ResultsThe median age of all 65 patients was 65.0 years [interquartile range (IQR), 48.0–76.0 years], and 49 (75.3 %) were male. The etiology of acute pericarditis was idiopathic in 55 patients (84.6 %), collagenous in 5 (7.6 %), bacterial in 1 (1.5 %), malignant in 3 (4.6 %), and related to previous open-heart surgery in 1 (1.5 %). Of the 8 patients (12.3 %) with in-hospital AE, 1 (1.5 %) died during hospitalization and 7 (10.8 %) developed cardiac tamponade. Patients with AE were less likely to have chest pain (p = 0.011) but were more likely to have symptoms lasting 72 h after treatment (p = 0.006), heart failure (p < 0.001), and higher levels of C-reactive protein (p = 0.040) and B-type natriuretic peptide (p = 0.032). All patients complicated with cardiac tamponade were treated with pericardial drainage or pericardiotomy. We analyzed 57 patients for recurrent pericarditis after excluding 8 patients: 1 with in-hospital death, 3 with malignant pericarditis, 1 with bacterial pericarditis, and 3 lost to follow-up. During a median follow-up of 2.5 years (IQR 1.3–3.0 years), 6 patients (10.5 %) had recurrences requiring hospitalization. The recurrence rate of pericarditis was not associated with colchicine treatment or aspirin dose or titration. ConclusionsIn acute pericarditis requiring hospitalization, in-hospital AE and recurrence were each observed in >10 % of patients. Further large studies on treatment are warranted.

Familial Mediterranean Fever and Transverse Myelitis: A Causal Relation?

Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is a rare autoinflammatory disorder characterized mainly by recurrent self-limited episodes of fever and polyserositis. FMF-related neurologic complication is an old debate, and the correlation between FMF and demyelinating disorders has been a matter of dispute for a long time. Few reports demonstrated a relationship between FMF and multiple sclerosis; however, the existence of a causal relationship between FMF and demyelinating disorders is still a puzzle. This report presents the first case of transverse myelitis following FMF attacks in which neurologic manifestations were resolved using colchicine treatment. Due to relapses of FMF, which were accompanied by transverse myelitis, rituximab was administered, which resulted in stabilizing disease activity. Accordingly, in the case of colchicine-resistant FMF and FMF-related demyelinating conditions, rituximab could be considered as a potential therapeutic option to alleviate both polyserositis and demyelinating manifestations.

Chromosome Mapping of Repetitive DNAs in the Picasso Triggerfish (Rhinecanthus aculeatus (Linnaeus, 1758)) in Family Balistidae by Classical and Molecular Cytogenetic Techniques

This work presents the cytogenetic analysis conducted on the Picasso triggerfish (Rhinecanthus aculeatus (Linnaeus, 1758)) from Thailand. Mitotic chromosomes were prepared from the anterior kidney. The cell suspensions were harvested by in vivo colchicine treatment. The present study includes the chromosomal investigation on R. aculeatus, using conventional (Giemsa staining, Ag-NOR and C-banding) and molecular approaches (in situ mapping of five different repetitive DNA classes including 18S rDNA, 5S rDNA, (CA)15, (GA)15 and (CAA)10 as markers.) The results showed that R. aculeatus has karyotypes formed exclusively by telocentric chromosomes (44t; NF=44). The C-positive heterochromatic blocks are preferentially located in the centromeric and telomeric regions of some chromosomal pairs. The Ag-NOR sites occupy the interstitial position of the long arms of the largest telocentric pair (pair 1). The exclusive location of the major ribosomal sites in these pairs was confirmed by hybridization with 18S rDNA probes. However, the 5S rDNA genes are not located on 18S rDNA-bearing chromosomes, but instead located exclusively in the subcentromeric region of pair 4. The mapping of (CA)15, (GA)15 and (CAA)10 microsatellites are sparsely dispersed along all the chromosomes. The karyotype formula of R. aculeatus is 2n (44) = 44t.

Photolysis and cytotoxicity of the potentially toxic composition of daylily flower: colchicine

The photolysis of colchicine under ultraviolet and visible light irradiation was studied by ultraviolet (UV) scanning and HPLC-MS. The photoproduct was proposed and the cytotoxicity change before and after irradiation was investigated. Results showed that both ultraviolet and visible light irradiation could effectively degrade colchicine into deacetamido-lumicolchicine. The process conformed to first-order kinetics, in which a high degradation rate (K = 0.5862 h− 1) was observed when colchicine was dissolved in ethanol and irradiated by UV light. Cell viability and cell cycle studies proved that a photolysis treatment of colchicine could weaken the cytotoxicity effectively. Colchicine inhibited the division of BRL 3 A cells in G2/M phase with an IC50 value of 0.48 µg/mL, while the toxic effect could be reduced significantly with IC50 2.1 µg/mL when colchicine was exposed to UV irradiation. Results are beneficial to the toxicity elimination of colchicine in the processing of daylily flower in food industry, and can also provide photochemistry reference for colchicine-related studies.